Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-09-04
packers in Baltimore caused a now

UNIEtIu III tSHlliflDAC t3uFtl ~ ItH
feature this year in the receipt OF
peaches by rail from Delaware.
During the week ended August
18th fifty carloads were received, with
1880 baskets. During the previous
week 1900 we're brought 10. by boats
during the same week $500 boxes and
22.s35 baskets, a total OF 81, 1896 pack
ages by boat, or 10000 packages from
oil sources, against III 600 packages
during the corresponding week Of 1885.
Besides this, il will be remembered
that the 10000 packages of this year
did not produce sn amount OF fruit
approximating the amount OF last year.
because the bulk OF Maryland peaches
were in boxes containing twice the
amount in the basket, which IL the
only package used for Delaware fruit.
This influx of Delaware fruit was
caused by another strange circumstance
not generally known, which is that the
railroad companies solicit fresh peach
trade through territory reaching from
Canada TO Chicago in order to make
arrangements to do the hauling in adj
vance and to command a steady traffic,
which the variable peach crop does not
generally admit of. Having taken
their orders they go to the peninsula
and buy ont the orchards, so that they
can supply their customers without fail.
This OF course begets trade for
reaches in the West and North, which
is growing with remarkable strides
each year. This year, however, the
western consumers were disappointed,
and the railroads willingly transported
the peaches to the high prices offered
in Baltimore.
The surprise of the short peach crop
after the seemingly favorable indica-
lions Of the early spring was followed
by surprise in peas. Baltimore feeds
the United States with green peas, to
say nothing of the foreign shipments,
and not less Than 800, 600 bushels are
yearly packed here. The early June
crop was not larger than the average,
and the dealers in canned goods, which
are handled exclusively by iobbers in
the large cities North and West, de
clared early in the season that they did
not have large demand. They did
this in order to keep down prices,
but it led the packers astray, and they
did not pack largely. A large num-
Der of them sold futures at 50 cents
a dozen. Despite the discouraging
talk of the iobbers, however, they
bought up the whole pack rapidly,
and the packers went into the market
and paid high rates, but it was too late,
for the season, which is very short,
came to an end abruptly and left them
with an unsatisfed demand. When
the marrowfats came into the market
they canned all they could get, and the
iobbers held aloof from the market for
awhile. The packers thought they had
overdone the thing, but the demand
came again, and something that was
never known before occurred, for mar
rowfats went up higher than the
carly Junes. Peas are said by the
brokers' 10 lie about all exhausted, and
the pack was not over the average. 1t
reached about seven millions OF cans.
But as the general market Is continually
on the increase any pack equal to that
OF year previous may be said to be
short, for the market spreads with such
rapidity and effectiveness that 1t IS
claimed by expert judges that the cost
Of meat is held stationary from the in
creased use of packed fruits and vege-
tables. In small fruits there were also
surprises. Strawberries gave promise
OF Oh enormous crop, but it dwindled
so as to permit but third Of the usual
pack. Easpberries were few in number,
and blackberries, Of which a fair pack
was bad. were made TO do duty f0rall the
rest OF the small fruits. Hence all the
prices have risen: Blackberries from
So cents 10 81 blueberries, 20 cents to
81 cherries, which were next to a total
failure, from - cents to $3.50 dam
sons, 80 cents to $3.50 ; gooseberries,
60 cents to 2l35 raspberries, 81 cents
TO $50; strawberries, 80 cents to
S1.3O and whortleberries, 10 cents to
81. The plant of the packer Is now
heard in the regions of sugar-cOrn and
iCmbtONr. ASpoito ii'iAi iA"A'lDAt N4N
Frederick counties show that there IS
revival of canning industry not known
for period OF at least three years.
The acreage Of corn has been in
creased by 20 per cent, and tomatoes
have been largely planted, and big
crop Of both are in SIGHT. A prominent
broker SAYS if the season is prolonged
fora couple of months the pack will be
increased by 50 per cent. de says the
present weather points to an early frost /;
If it comes that will stop of the toma-
toes. Another said that only the full
average pack Of corn will be obtained,
which Will amount to between 0),0OO
and 100000 cases. 1t is a fact never
theless that new canneries have started
in Hartford and Frederick counties and
in Western Maryland, and they are en-
ploying all the help they can obtain
and are running night and day. Little
corn is packed in Southern Maryland,
but the people have gone largely into
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